GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH 1101
Fall 2011
Laura Barberan Reinares
CRN 87107 – T/R 9:30/10:45am (Classroom South 507)
Office Hours: Tuesday 10:45/11:45 am
Office: GCB (827)
Email: rbarberan1@gsu.edu ; laubarberan@gmail.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to increase your ability to construct written prose of various kinds.
Throughout the semester, we will focus on methods of organization, analysis, research, revision, and
peer-workshopping skills, as well as the production of short narrative and evaluative essays. You will
learn to write for a variety of rhetorical situations and develop an awareness of issues such as
audience and purpose. Our readings will consider issues of contemporary social and cultural
concern. This course is a prerequisite for 1102, and a passing grade is C.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
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engage in writing as a process, develop brainstorming skills, gather evidence, consider
audience, draft, revise, edit, and proofread
engage in the collaborative, social aspects of writing, and use writing as a tool for learning
use language to explore and analyze contemporary multicultural, global, and international
questions
demonstrate how to use writing aids, such as handbooks, dictionaries, online aids, and tutors
gather, summarize, synthesize, and explain information from various sources
use grammatical, stylistic, and mechanical formats and conventions appropriate for a variety of
audiences
critique your own and others’ work in written and oral formats
produce coherent, organized, readable prose for a variety of rhetorical situations
reflect on what contributed to your writing process and evaluate your own work
REQUIRED TEXTS
Lunsford, Andrea A. The Everyday Writer: GSU Edition. 4th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s,
2010.
Singer, Marti, and Cara Minardi, eds. First Essays: A Peer Approach to Freshman Composition. Third
Edition. Michigan: Hayden- McNeil, 2009.
Jonathan Safran Foer. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Boston: Houghthon Mifflin Company,
2006.
ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION
1. Classwork, Peer Review, Quizzes, and Participation (10%)
This category includes group work, written and oral responses to classmates’ papers during peer
review, in-class writing, pop-up quizzes, oral presentations, and participation in class discussion.
Please note that there will be NO MAKE-UPS for missed pop-up quizzes or any graded in-class
assignments. Quizzes will be administered during the first ten minutes of class, so if you are late, you
will NOT be able to take the quiz and you will receive a failing grade for that activity. As for class
participation, it will be determined by your contribution to the discussion. You must read all the
texts and assignments ahead of time in order to be able to contribute with your ideas in class.
Coming to class unprepared will impact your final grade. I will assign your classwork grade as
follows:
0
Absent
10-30
present w/little or no intervention
50-80
limited or inconsistent contribution
80-100
significant contribution
2. Formal Papers (60%)
You will have to turn in THREE formal out-of-class essays. Topics and specific requirements will
be discussed in class as the task approaches. We will build the essays gradually, so you are
responsible for bringing the assigned part when it is due (for example, you will bring a tentative
working thesis and an outline first in order to build from that the rest of your paper). You will get
your classmates’ feedback regularly. It is essential for you to comply with this requirement because in
this class we treat writing as a process, not a product. As we will engage in peer revision and
workshopping of drafts, your attendance and participation will impact your success on these three
papers.
All papers and assignments must be stapled, typed, double-spaced with one inch margins, and
standard 12 size font (Times New Roman). I will NOT accept drafts or final papers via email. You
must frequently consult your grammar handbook to check mechanics, and you are strongly
encouraged to visit the Writing Studio. The grades for these papers will be averaged, and the result
will count as 60% of your final grade.
3. Final portfolio (25%)
At the end of the semester, you will have to turn in the three papers you have written for this class
together with a new improved version of each of them, and a reflection on your writing progress.
The goal is for you to demonstrate substantial progress, so you will re-work on the original papers
and present a new copy showing the changes you have made, together with the ones already graded.
Thus, your portfolio will consist of six papers, their corresponding drafts with the
comments/suggestions from your peer editors, and a one-page reflection on your writing process.
4. Reading Response (5%)
You will have to turn in a 2-page reading response to Jonathan Safran Foer. Extremely Loud and
Incredibly Close. See detailed instructions at the end of this syllabus.
NO EXTRA CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance: In this class, we will be working together to improve our own and one another’s
writing. As writing is a skill that requires practice, revision, tutoring and collaboration, your
attendance is pertinent to your success in this class. If you have more than four absences will not
pass this class. Also, late coming is disruptive, so please make sure that you are here on time.
Quizzes will be given during the first 10 minutes of class, so if you arrive late, you will NOT be
allowed to take them. You are responsible for everything that goes on in class on the day you are
absent (please, contact a classmate to find out what was done in class).
Late Work: Late papers will lose a letter grade for each class day that they are late; I will not
accept papers after two missed class periods. There will be NO make-ups of quizzes/assignments (if
you are sick, you need to present a doctor’s note in order to be allowed to make-up for an
assignment). The complete final portfolio must be turned in on the day specified in the syllabus, the
last day of class, in order to receive credit (this is a firm deadline).
Academic Misconduct: For the university’s policies on academic misconduct, see “Academic
Honesty” in the student handbook (Section 409) or visit
http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwreg/LK_4.html#AcademicHonesty. Plagiarism is presenting another
person’s work as one’s own; it includes any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another
person without acknowledgement, including the submission of another student’s work as one’s own.
Plagiarism frequently involves a failure to acknowledge in the text, notes, or footnotes the quotation
of the paragraphs, sentences, or even a few phrases written or spoken by someone else. Any work,
in whole or in part, taken from the Internet or other computer-based resource without properly
referencing the source (i.e. providing the URL) is considered plagiarism. The student is responsible
for understanding the legitimate use of sources, the appropriate ways of acknowledging academic,
scholarly or creative indebtedness, and the consequences of violating this responsibility. Students are
expected to adhere to G.S.U.’s code of academic conduct. Plagiarism (either of a part or the whole
paper) will not be tolerated in this class and will result in a FAILING grade for the assignment, or
the entire course.
Classroom Conduct: Please treat the members of this class, along with their ideas and writing,
with respect. All cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off before class (no text
messaging allowed). Please do not bring your laptop to class: for peer-editing sessions, you need to
bring a hard copy of your paper, not a computer.
Communicating with your Instructor: The students should to obtain, maintain, and regularly
check an e-mail account (available for free at GSU and from several private servers). I will be
emailing information relevant to this course, which you are expected to read.
ACCOMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Students who need accommodations should arrange a meeting with me during office hours.
Please, bring a copy of your Student Accommodations Form to the meeting. If you do not have an
Accommodations Form but need accommodations, make an appointment with the Office of
Disability Services (Suite 230, New Student Center, 404-463-9044) to make arrangements.
For English Majors:
The English department at GSU requires an exit portfolio of all students graduating with a degree in
English. Ideally, students should work on this every semester, selecting 1-2 papers from each
course and revising them, with direction from faculty members. The portfolio includes revised
work and a reflective essay about what you’ve learned. Each concentration (literature, creative
writing, rhetoric/composition, and secondary education) within the major may have specific items
to place in the portfolio, so be sure to check booklet located next to door of the front office of the
English Department. Senior Portfolio due dates are published in the booklets or you may contact an
advisor or Dr. Goodman, Director of Undergraduate Studies. See the English office for additional
information.
Online Evaluation of Instructor
Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at
Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.
This syllabus reflects a plan for the course. Deviations from this plan may become necessary
as the semester progresses. Students are responsible for taking note of any changes that may
occur.
COURSE SCHEDULE
The readings and assignments are due on the day they are listed (the titles of the books are
abbreviated EW & FE). Coming to class without having prepared such material is a waste of your
time and your classmates’ time. That being said, please make sure that you are always ready to
contribute with what you studied at home.
As the semester progresses, I will make changes to the schedule in order to meet the class’s
educational goals more effectively. You are responsible for recording these changes below.
Week 1: Aug 23-25
T: Introduction/syllabus and criteria for the class.
R: Thesis statement (photocopies). Writing sample in Worksheet #1.
Week 2: Aug 30-Sep 1
T: First Essays (1/25 & 138/146). Group work.
R: Revising grammatical errors: EW (3/11). Revising style: EW (237-57). Writing sample analysis.
Week 3: Sep 6-8
T: Personal narrative: “Levi’s” (photocopies). Instructions for Paper 1.
R: FE (176/178 & 126/130). Tentative working thesis for Paper 1 DUE. Peer-editing.
Week 4: Sep 13-15
T: Revising style: The Elements of Style (photocopies 18-33). Bring a passage of any essay (written by
you or somebody else) to analyze style. Workshopping.
R: Revising mechanics: EW (315/68). Draft of paper 1 DUE. Peer editing.
Week 5: Sep 20-22
T: Analysis: FE (66/82). In-class exercise. Paper 1 DUE.
R: Documentary Analysis. Instructions for Paper 2.
Week 6: Sep 27-29
T: Documentary Analysis continued.
R: “Movie about Bruce Wayne” (photocopies). Analysis of essay structure.
Week 7: Oct 4-6
T: MLA: EW (367-412). In-class exercise. Tentative working thesis for Paper 2 DUE. Peer-editing.
R: Workshopping drafts: bring a draft (at least two full pages) of your documentary analysis paper.
Last day to withdraw and possibly receive a “W” 10/07/10
Week 8: Oct 11-13
T: EW (265-74). Draft of paper 2 DUE. Peer editing
R: Introduction to ad analysis. Paper 2 DUE.
Week 9: Oct 18-20
T: FE (187/194, 91/105 & 156/159). Instructions for Paper 3.
R: Library Session: we will punctually meet at 9:30am at Library North, Classroom 2
Week 10: Oct 25-27
T: Tentative working thesis for Paper 3 DUE. Peer-editing.
R: Analyzing ads. Critical responses.
Week 11: Nov 1-3
T: Oral presentation: bring your ad to analyze in class. Peer response.
R: Oral presentation: bring your ad to analyze in class. Peer response.
Week 12: Nov 8-10
T: Analysis of a research essay in MLA style: EW (410-419). Draft of paper 3 DUE. Peer editing.
R: Portfolio guidelines. Bring Papers 1 & 2 for grammar & style revision. Paper 3 DUE.
Week 13: Nov 15-17
T: Scheduled conferences. Peer-editing (bring a clean copy of your papers-no laptops).
R: Scheduled conferences. Peer-editing (bring a clean copy of your papers-no laptops).
Week 14: Nov 22-24
T: Thanksgiving Holiday. No class.
R: Thanksgiving Holiday. No class.
Week 15: Nov 29-Dec 1
T: Scheduled conferences. Peer-editing (bring a clean copy of your papers-no laptops).
R: Last day of class. Portfolio DUE.
THE WRITING STUDIO (GCB 976 – Tel. 404-651-2906)
writng@gsu.edu; www.writingstudio.gsu.edu
I encourage you to seek additional tutoring (for free) at the Writing Studio (GCB 976). The staff can
assist you with all stages of the writing process, from invention to arrangement to revising. They can
read your material and show you strategies for overcoming writing problems. Remember that you are
ultimately responsible for the quality of your work.
RECEIVING AN “INCOMPLETE”: In order to receive an incomplete, a student must inform
the instructor, either in person or in writing, of her/his inability (non-academic reasons) to complete
the requirements of the course. Incompletes will be assigned at the instructors discretion and the
terms for removal of the “I” are dictated by the instructor. A grade of incomplete will only be
considered for students who are a) passing the course with a “C” or better, b) present a legitimate,
non-academic reason to the instructor, and c) have only one major assignment left to finish.
RUBRIC for the Three Formal Essays (60%)
5-point paper (A): This paper develops ONE central insight. The thesis is clearly stated and there is
a coherent theme to the paper. A brief introduction offers an overview of your topic and makes it
clear what your focus is going to be. The body of the paper expands on this theme in various ways
(relevant evidence, plenty of examples, etc). The analysis part is sufficient and convincing. The
conclusion shows the growth of your initial thesis into a solid demonstration of it. There are no
significant mechanical errors. The essay shows awareness of writing style (avoiding unnecessary
repetition, wordiness, excessive use of “to be” verbs, etc.). The essay follows the formal parameters
established (number of pages, font size, spacing, MLA style, etc.).
4-point paper (B): This paper has a focus, although it may not be as clear. Insights may not be as
well supported as in a 5-point paper (for example, the evidence presented is superficially analyzed, or
there is not enough evidence in support of your thesis). The conclusion simply restates the thesis
without demonstrating substantial growth in proving your point. While completely and clearly
written, it may contain a few non-distracting mechanical errors. The essay shows little awareness of
writing style techniques (for example, it presents unnecessary repetition, wordiness, excessive use of
“to be” verbs, etc.). It may not follow the formal parameters established for the assignment (number
of pages, font size, spacing, MLA style, etc.).
3-point paper (C): This paper may present a laundry list of observations rather than a single
coherent theme. The analysis relies on generalizations. The conclusion may not effectively establish
your initial point. The essay may contain a few significant mechanical errors. For the most part, the
essay shows lack of awareness of writing style techniques (for example, it presents unnecessary
repetition, wordiness, excessive use of “to be” verbs, too informal language, etc.). It may not follow
the formal parameters established for the assignment (number of pages, font size, spacing, MLA
style, etc.).
A 2-point paper (D) lacks a thesis. It may be riddled with mechanical and stylistic problems.
A 1-point paper is (marginally) better than nothing.
RESPONSE PAPER GUIDELINES AND RUBRIC (5%)
You will be required to turn in a response to Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and
Incredibly Close (deadline to be provided; I strongly recommend that you read the book as soon as
the semester starts).
This response paper should be a reaction to a particular aspect of the text. Late or emailed papers
will not be accepted, so you must turn your response in by the deadline to receive full credit.
Response papers are not mere summaries of the reading, but should demonstrate active engagement
with it. In them, you may raise questions, record observations you would like to share, float ideas for
future research, or apply theory or criticism. These papers should not be purely subjective responses
to the reading (i.e. “I liked it” or “I didn’t like it”) but should attempt to analyze how the text works
and why you reacted in such way.
Responses should be 2 full pages long, typed, and double-spaced. These papers are not as formal as
an analytical essay or research paper, but the best ones do share certain qualities. I will grade them
on a scale of 1 to 5 points (5 being the best) according to the following rubric:
A 5-point paper develops one central insight about the reading. This does not necessarily have to
be an argument about the text, but there is a coherent theme to the paper. A brief introduction
offers your overview of the reading assignment and makes it clear what your focus is going to be.
The body of the paper expands on this theme in various ways, with plenty of examples (including
some brief quotations from the text). There are no significant mechanical errors.
A 4-point paper also has a focus, although it may not be as clear. Insights may not be as wellsupported as in a 5-point paper. While completely and clearly written, it may contain a few nondistracting mechanical errors.
A 3-point paper may present a laundry list of observations rather than a single coherent theme. It
may make unsupported generalizations about the text or contain a few significant mechanical errors.
A 2-point paper is less an analysis of the reading than a summary of it. It may contain factual errors
or be riddled with mechanical problems.
WRITING PORTFOLIO FALL 2011 (25%)
On December 1, you will have to turn in a portfolio with all the essays I have graded, their
corresponding drafts, peer editor’s comments, a new and improved version for each of those papers,
and a short reflection on your achievements in this course (15% of your grade). You will have to
enclose everything inside a manila folder with your name, course number, and email address on
the cover (please don’t buy expensive folders for this; they tend to be unnecessarily big, and a simple
one will do the job).
For your formal essays, please make sure that you start revising ahead of time since this part
of the process demands several readings and careful attention. Do not leave this for the day before
because it can become an overwhelming task, which will probably show in the final result. If you
have any questions on how to improve any of the papers, remember that you can see me during
office hours; you can also take them to the Writing Studio for suggestions (see syllabus).
CHECKLIST: Before turning the portfolio in, make sure that you have:
1- A reflection of your learning/achievements (1 or 2 pages). This should be the first page
of your portfolio. Here you can talk about what you have learned over the semester and
mention concrete strategies that were helpful. You can also talk about the challenges you
faced. The idea is that you finish ENGL 1101 with a clear perspective of what you know
already, and the areas in which you need to keep working in order to continue improving
your writing for ENG 1102. ---------
2- The THREE papers you turned in over the semester. These will have my comments on
them and also a grade. ---------3- The drafts and peer editor’s comments. These will include peer-edited drafts and
revisions during workshops. Please staple them all together and place them behind the
corresponding improved paper. Make sure that you have the name of the person who edited
your paper on top of the page. --------4- An improved version for each of the THREE papers you have. Remember that you
must demonstrate SUBSTANTIAL improvement. By now I expect a strong, clear thesis and
well-developed supporting paragraphs. I will pay special attention to the style of the language
you use (choice of descriptive words, lack of repetition, complexity of sentences, etc.). Make
sure that you double check your sources and citations to avoid any risk of plagiarism. Last
but not least, don’t underestimate your conclusions, and check your works cited pages! -----
Etiquette for Critiquing
Always sign your critiques. You may use pen or pencil and write anywhere on the draft. You can
make more than one comment on the draft; for example, you may want to comment on the draft in
the margins as you read it and then write a final, overall critique at the end of the draft.
Never, NEVER write personal insults as part of your critique! Never use such choice adjectives
as “stupid,” “dumb,” etc. to describe the writer or a draft.
A good rule of thumb is to always write something positive about the draft you are critiquing.
First, every writer needs positive reinforcement. Second, telling the writer what is good about a draft
can be as important as telling what needs to be improved. Third, if you feel you are going to say
several negative things about the draft, telling the writer what you feel is good about the draft can
soften the blow. Also, telling the writer what is good about a draft can provide a starting point from
which a writer can begin improving the draft.
Always try to make your critiques as specific as possible. No one is going to find a critique such
as “This paper is confusing” helpful. If you feel the paper is confusing, tell the writer why you find it
confusing (whether poor organization, bad grammar, sloppy sentence structure, or whatever, is
causing the problem). A Specific example is actually the best help you could ever give. After you’ve
told the writer why you think a draft has a specific problem, make suggestions as to how you believe
the writer can improve the draft.
Ultimately, you the writer must decide which critiques from your fellow students you will pay
attention to and which critiques you will dismiss. Remember, for better and for worse, everyone is
entitled to a personal opinion. Experience has shown me that many of the critiques that you will
receive on your drafts will be helpful to you; however, sometimes you will get comments that are
way out in left field. If you are not sure whether you should follow someone’s advice, please ask me.
Worksheet #1: Personal Narrative-Writing about Writing
1- Compare both narrative essays about writing (FE 138/46):
Which one do you find more successful? Why? (be ready to provide concrete and specific
details)
2- Analyze both essays in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths: ……………………………………………
Weaknesses:…………………………………………
3- What is the thesis/purpose of each essay? Where are they stated?
“My Writing Career”: ………………………………………………
“My Relationship with Writing”: ……………………………………
Writing Sample #1 (in one page): What is your own experience with writing? Below
are some points that could trigger thoughts on the subject:
1) How do you approach the writing of a paper, a letter, a poem, and/or the lyrics of a
song? When do you start writing? What is your state of mind when you have/want to
write? Is writing a frustrating or a liberating experience?
2) If you had to describe your attitude towards writing, what kind of metaphor would
you use? Explain your metaphor.
3) Did your previous English teachers value more the process of writing or the final
product? What do you think about this opposition? Is it an opposition?
4) Who is the audience of your writing (academic papers, songs, etc…)? At what stage
of your writing process do you think about your audience?